Sheet edge forming device



Mamh 8, 1932. H. E. ALLEN er1-AL.

Sli-EET EDGE FORIINGv DEVICE* Filled Feb. 24. 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT-DR S.

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March 8, 1932. H. E. ALLEN ETAL 1,848,099

SHEET EDGE FORIIHG DEVICE Filed Feb. 24 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f mmzEumnjg; Home; fil/en. M

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"10 ing edges on said sheet which will holdfthe same to width without transverse contraction after it has been formed.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide sheet ed e forming devices in the nature /15 of substantially disc-like members adapted to enga the en of the meniscus from which f the s eet is drawn, and to iniuence, govern and manipulate the lass being drawn into the border portions o the sheet snliiciently to i build up edges capable of holding. the same to'y width.

A still further object of the invention is to provide sheet edge forming devices adapted to be adjustably mounted so that they can y 25 be adjusted to retardthe movement of the glass entering the border portions of the sheet sufficiently to buildup a' viscous relatively cool edge capable of holding the sheet to width, the said members being partially subof molten glass from whichthe sheet is drawn and adapted to grip the edge portion ofthe said sheet. v Another object is to provide sheetjedge forming devices in the nature of substantially at disc-like members which can be adjusted and driven so as tol cause a flow of glass from the edges of the source of molten glass toward Y the center thereof, or from the center toward the side ends of thesource, while at the same of the sheet can be controlled suiliciently to ad-like edges on the d .I Fig. 4 is a transverse'loii a draw-pot 11.

vto build up an edge capable of maintaining time the glass entering the border portions.

im. semi in. 11,124. u y tion of the apparatus showing the edge formingdevices in operation, Y 2 is a top plan view of the edge form- .Y in evices and mountin therefor,

3 is an end view o l 'tudinal section throu h the devices in use, s owing one position t ereof and the type ofn edge which is' fOrmed, Fig. -5 is an enlarged elevation of one of theV 'oo devices and mounting therefor,

Fi 6 is an elevation, partly-in section, j I 'showin one adjustment,. u i' v- Fig. is a top plan view showing .another A adjustment,

Fig.' s isa simimview hew'iagshe dev-ieee j adjustedrv differently,y and Fi 9 isa top plan view oiga slightly modi-4' j ed orm of construction, Y

These sheet edge forming devices are par-f ticularly well-a apted for the machine disclosedv :in the source of molten glass 10 is contained within he sheet-12 is drawn vertically from the mass of molten glass 10 for a slight distance where it is trained; over a bending roll -13 being deflected v`soathat it can be run o in a. horizontalV plane. In the Colburn apparatus a pair of rotatable knurled rolls are arranged vat both ends ofthe meniscus 14 to retard movement of the glass entering the border' portions of the sheet 12` the sheet to width.l l

In the present invention it is our aim to providemeans for building up an edge on .Y the sheet, which means are adapted to be operated upon the glass v.in a manner that a more accurate control of the glassv movement is had. y Although the device is particularly' designed for the Colburn apparatus it is to be 'understood that ,the same construction can be used on any type of sheet drawing apparatus wherein edge forming devices are desired. l

The apparatus VcomprisesV 'a pair lof sub1 1 stantially fiat disc-like members A15 which-i. are preferably formed from a non-corrosive metal alloy such as nickel, nichrome,'stellite,

etc. They are the mounting, f as' Colburn patent, 'whereinv a j 'rsi formed to -provide a hollow 10 directions.

compartment 16 internally thereof having connection with a pipe or other form of conduits 17 and18, whereby'a coolin medium can be circulated therethrough. e cooling medium may be in the nature of air or water.

The disc-like members are preferably depressed on their inner faces as at 19 to form a tapered end 20 as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The tapered edge 20is adapted to engage the glass and form an edge 21 on the sheet 12 similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

Due to the fact that the temperature conditions ofthe molten glass 10 is not constant, it is desirable to mount the disc-like members 15 for adjustment so that various adjustments'canv be had to obtain best results, regardless of the temperature condi-,j

tin of the glass` going into the sheet '12. Thus if the glass is relatively cool along the border portions and hot in the center it is sometimes desirable to accelerate feed movement of glass from the sides toward the center to produceta sheet of substantially uniform thickness. This is accomplished by suitably changing the plane and angle of rotation of -the discs relative to the drawn glass, and by increasing the speed of rotation of the edge forming devices 15, but if precautions are not taken in feeding the glass toward the center of the sheet too much glass may be fed up into the border portions. In the present instance this is taken care of `by adjustably mounting the disc-like -members, whereby they can be tilted Vtoward each lother in any of the adjustments shown in the drawings, and in fact many more.

The edge forming device mounting comprises a base 22 which is carried by the channel iron` or other stationary support 23 on the outside of the machine. Movably mountedupon the base 22 is a bracket 24 carryin a pair of parallel spaced sleeves 2 5 adapte to be arranged in a horizontal plane, and a pairof journals 26 at the opposite end thereof positioned in a vertical plane. A jack arrangement 27 operable by means of the wheel 28 is provided to raise and lower the bracket 24 as desired. Journaled through each bearing 26 is a vertical shaft 29 carrying at their upper ends beveled pinions 30, and a gear 31 at the opposite end thereof adapted to mesh with the drive worm 32 which is connected to some source of motive power. A gear 33 is carried on each shaft 29, and they are in mesh with each other, whereby upon rotation of the shaft 29 carrying the gear 31, both shafts 29 will be rotated and in opposite Loosely mounted in each of the sleeves is a tubular shaft 34 having an enlarged collar 35 at one end to restrict the movement of the tubular shaft 34 in the direction opposite to the location of the beveled pinions 30.

Carried by the opposite end ofthe tubular shaft 34 is a bracket 36 preferably L-shaped, and is pivotally connected by means of the pin 37 to the arm 88 carried by the housin 40 ofthe discs l5. A stub-arm 41.is forme integral with the arm 38 and at right angles thereto, and has connection with the link 42 operable through the ear 43, and has a screwthreaded end 44 on which is arranged a pair of lock-nuts 45. Upon reciprocation of the link 42, the arm 38 is rocked so that the housing 40 and disc-like member 15 can be swung transversely of the longitudinal axis of the tubular shaft 34.

Contained within the housing 40 and formed integral with the member 15 is a gear 46 meshing with a worm 47 carried by the stub-shaft 48. The shaft 48 has with the universal joint 49 driven by the rotatable shaft 50 operable through tubular shaft 34, and carries at its opposite end a beveled 4pinion 51 adapted to mesh with the beveled pinion 30. Inthis manner the discs can be rotated in either direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the vertical shaft 29.` The tubular shaft 34 can be oscillated in the sleeve 25 by means of the segmental rack 52 carried thereby, and the worm 53 journaled through the bearing 54 which is mounted in a stationary position upon the sleeve 25. A spring 55 carried on the pin 56 and bearing against a stationary portion 57 0f the bracket`24 lis provided to normally urge the disc-like members toward each other. By adjusting the link 42, rocking tubular shaft 34, and raising and lowering the bracket 24, the discs can be adjusted to any desired position. l

As is shown in Figrl, the top edge of the pot 11 is scooped out'as at 58 to permit the relatively largediscs 15 to be positioned at the ends of the meniscus 14, so that a relatively narrow heavy edge is built up, thus reducing to a minimum the amount of edge Wastage.

The discs can be rotated either in the direction of draw or in the opposite direction. When rotated in thedirection opposite to that of draw maximumy drag is. created, thus building up a good heavy edge. In addition to the direction of rotation the type of edge and the rapidity with which the edge can be formed is determined by the relative adjust-- ment of the discs 15 in the meniscus 14. The discs can be adjusted to release the edge portions of the glass immediately after it has been formed or they can be adjusted to closely engage the edge as far as the discs reach up the edge, of the sheet. Asis shown in Fig. 4, y when the discs are adjusted as shown, the type of edge disclosed will be formed, but obviously the cross sectional configuration of theedge will change slightlywhen the adjustment of the discs is made. In all events, a smooth relatively short heavy edge will be connection f i formed on thel sheet capable of maintainingthe same to width until it has suliiciently set up to take care of itself.

In Fig. 9 the discs are slightly modified wherein they are provided with the knurled surface 59. This type of edge will create a more noticeable drag on the edge of the sheet, and is desirable when the glass entering the border portions is relatively hot.

When a sheet of glass is being drawn vertically from a horizontally disposed supply body of molt-en glass, it is of im ortance that the edges of the sheet be forme and released from the formin means at a point sufficiently advanced in t e line of draw of the edge glass ,from its source to avoid concentric deiiection of this glass toward the sheet, and the therewith associated relaxation of transverse tension of the glass which is being drawn to sheet thickness. With large disc rollers of the kind herein shown, the point of grip of the discs on the border glass can be located rather high (see Figs. 2 and 6) where the glass has almost attenuated to sheet thiclrness in the path of its drawn progression, thus placing the holding and resistance ac t-ion of discs 15 against the drawing force, where the drawn glass has but little further yieldability or stretchability transversely or longitudinally, while at the same time the release point of the glass which forms the outer edge portions of the sheet is still more distant from the meniscus proper, and further up in the line of draw and also on the outer side of the line of maximum drawing tension which exists between the grip point of each set of discs and the bending roll, so that the edge glassv proper or the thicker beaded portion 2l thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, comes under less drawing stress, principally because the actual release point of the glass comprising the outer edge portions is above the point of grip. This relationship .of large disc rollers promotes the drawing of a flat sheet and of a slightly wider sheet, and places sufficient glass in the sheet edges to maintain plasticity therein after thesheet area proper has become cold and rigid.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape. size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims:

1. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass, a pair of means arranged at each edge of the sheet being drawn and being partially submerged in the sheet source from which the sheet is formed for holding said sheet to width, said means being relatively iat, and means for rotating the same at such a speed that a width maintaining edge will be formed on said sheet.

2. In sheet glass apparatus, means for 'l continuously drawing a sheet from a source of molten glass, and relativel iiat disc-like members engaging opposite si es of the sheet at each edge thereof and being partially submerged in the sheet source for building up an 4edge on the sheet and for maintaining the same to width, the disc-like members at 0pposite'sides of the sheet facing one another.

3. In sheet glass apparatus, means for continuously drawing a sheet from a source of molten glass, relatively fiat disc-like membersengaging opposite sides of the sheet at each edge thereof and being partially subedge thereof and being partially submerged in the sheet source for. building up an edge on the sheet and for maintaining the same to Width, means for adjustably supporting the dlsc-like members, and means for rotating the same in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet. l

5. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing al sheet from a source of molten glass, relatively flat disc-like members arranged at opposite sides of the sheet at each edge thereof and partially submerged inthe sheet source for retarding the movement of the border portions of said sheet, and means whereby the members may be adjusted to grip the sheet therebetween at various points along its edge.

6. The process of producing sheet glass, cons1st1ng in drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass and forming beaded edges thereon by passing the border portions of the sheet being formed between relatively flat disc-like members rotating in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet.

7. In sheet glass apparatus, means for continuously drawing a sheet from a source of molten glass, disc-like members engaging opposite sides of the sheet at each edge thereof, said members having a concave inner face, and means for rotating said members whereby they will grip the sheet edges in a manner to form beads thereon.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, this 20th day of February,

-HORACE E. ALLEN.

ENOCH T. FERNGREN.

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